Jolene McCleland – lyric mezzo-soprano

The mezzo-soprano Jolene McCleland studied singing at the University in Stellenbosch, South Africa. She completed her studies cum laude in 2001 with a Bachelor of Music and participated in master classes with Ileana Cotrubas, Oliviera Lopes, Jorge Vaz de Cavalho and Liliana Bizinecke, before moving to Vienna in 2002. There she studied at the Opera School of the Vienna Conservatory, where she graduated with honours in the summer of 2006. At present, she is continuing her vocal training under the tutelage of Colleen Rae Holmes. She won Second Prize in the International Singing Competition “Klassik-Mania” (2006) and First Prize in the International Nico Dostal Competition (2008).

In South Africa Jolene McCleland appeared in numerous productions, singing, among other roles, the title part in “Dido and Aenaeas”,  Cherubino in “Le Nozze di Figaro”, Zerlina in “Don Giovanni”, Annio in “La Clemenza di Tito” and Dorabella in “Così fan tutte”. Dorabella was also the role of her European debut in a production by the Vienna Conservatory, followed by Hänsel in “Hänsel and Gretel” at Vienna’s Akzent Theater and Ludmilla in “The Bartered Bride” in the Stadttheater Baden. She garnered critical praise as an “impressive singing actress” (Walter Wiedringer, Die PRESSE) for her performance in the European premiere of Tsippi Fleischer’s opera “Cain and Abel” in the role of the Lamb of Cain with the Musikwerkstatt Wien, and sang the roles of the Enfant in Maurice Ravels opera “L’enfant et les sortilèges” and Nancy in Britten’s “Albert Herring” at the Akzent Theater, later touring in Japan as the Second Lady in the Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”. In 2006 she was engaged at the Vienna Volksoper as Cherubino (cover), a role she sang in the autumn of that year on tour in Japan, which was preceded by a return during the summer to her signature role of Dorabella – this time with the International Music Festival in the Castle Kirchstetten (Austria) under the direction of Philipp Harnoncourt. In December 2007 she successfully returned to the role of Hänsel this time at the Rosenheimer Rosenfestival in Munich – stage director was again Philipp Harnoncourt.

Most recently she interpreted Dejanira in Händel’s “Hercules“ and Sièbel in Gounod’s “Faust” under the auspices of Vienna’s LA PRIMA VOLTA, sang the role of the Spider in the world premiere of the children’s opera “Camilo Chamäleon” with the contemporary production company Netzzeit (Festival “Out of Control”, Vienna), she made her debut at the festival Carinthischer Sommer in “Götter & Söhne”, a project with four Opéras-minute by Darius Milhaud, and she recorded Gertrude in Nancy Van de Vate’s new opera “Hamlet” for the CD label Vienna Modern Masters.

Ms McCleland also has appeared as soloist in numerous concert performances. She sang an acclaimed solo recital in the house of Franz Schubert’s birth, sang concerts in the Liechtenstein Museum Wien, where she interpreted Joseph Haydn’s cantata “Arianna a Naxos“, and several chamber music concert in the Barocksaal of Vienna’s Old City Hall. Ms McCleland has also appeared in several oratorios such as Mozart’s “Coronation Mass“ in Vienna’s Stephansdom and Mozart’s “Requiem“ in Vienna’s Karlskirche, and in 2010 she made her debut at the renowned Goldenen Saal of the Wiener Musikverein in a concert with the Wiener Schubertbund.